Monitoring systems in buildings routinely gather information about the condition of the premises. This is sometimes done using sensors that act as eyes and ears posted throughout the premises. The sensors monitor the environment and send data to a location where it can be processed. The information that sensors gather may include a notification of the occurrence of some event, such as the presence of an intruder, or data about the physical condition of some portion of the premises, to name only two examples. The information may be collected for security purposes, for the effective and efficient management of resources, or for a host of other reasons. However, the collection of all of this varied information poses difficult challenges.
For example, the deployment of sensors throughout a building can often be prohibitively expensive. While certain types of sensors can be manufactured inexpensively, they may often require dedicated signal and control lines to a central processor that controls the sensors and monitors their output. This can require a great deal of costly infrastructure investment. Other sensors may not require such costly building infrastructure improvements, but instead may each require their own processor both for control purposes and to operate a communication protocol allowing the sensor to transmit data to another location. This requirement can make the sensors themselves prohibitively expensive. Thus, those who wish to use sensors to monitor premises often face costly infrastructure improvements, expensive sensors, or both.
At the same time, most buildings now have computer network infrastructures in place. Wireless computer network access points, or WAPs, are often a significant part of the computer network infrastructure. WAPs are placed throughout the premises and serve to extend wireless network connectivity to devices that are properly equipped. To fulfill this task, WAPs are equipped with network connections, processors, and other communications hardware—all elements that could be utilized in a premises-wide sensing system. Thus, it would be beneficial to leverage investments in network infrastructures and WAPs in buildings to further provide for sensing of the building environment.